Paula Lee Mehlhop

Paula Lee Mehlhop, 84, of The Woodlands, Texas, passed away on September 15, 2025. She was born on August 4, 1941, in Trinidad, Colorado to the late Paul Duncan Lee and Helen Hartwell Lee.

In her early years in Trinidad, she and her sister Sylvia had idyllic lives roaming the hills with their dog and developing their imaginations and strong personalities.

When she was nine, her family moved to Roswell, NM, where she later met John Mehlhop in high school. After attending Texas Women's University in Denton, TX, she married John in 1960.

Paula attracted people with her cultured charm and sophisticated wit. These qualities were great assets that helped her and John as his job with IBM took the family to Endicott, NY, Dallas, TX, and finally Cary, NC in 1971. There, Paula held a variety of interesting jobs, culminating in that of curatorial secretary at the North Carolina Museum of Art.

In 2006, she moved to The Woodlands, TX to be near her grandchildren. She attended Trinity Episcopal Church, where she frequently served as a greeter for Sunday services and was involved in numerous activities and organizations, including Daughters of the King, Saint Anne's Guild, the Eclectic Eccentrics book club, and Ladies' Bible Study. She enjoyed many of her neighbors, who frequently entertained each other with evening block parties and time at the dog park. She loved dogs and was never without one her entire life.

She is survived by her husband John Mehlhop, daughter Eugenia Butler and sons Paul Mehlhop and Andrew Mehlhop (Delynda), grandchildren Brandon Butler (Melina), Nathan Mehlhop (Gia), Meagan Mehlhop, and Nicholas Mehlhop, great granddaughter Juniper Mehlhop, and nephew Matthew Vaughn.

She is preceded in death by her parents Paul and Helen Lee and sister Sylvia Vaughn.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00AM on Friday, October 17, 2025, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 3901 S Panther Creek Dr, The Woodlands, TX with the Rev. Frank Samuelson officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Trinity Episcopal Church.